Perfectionism is the epitome of a double-edged sword. You are constantly under the dark cloud of unrealistic expectations and the constant feeling of the wheels in your mind turning, yet you are often praised for your high standards in your work. The one consistent theme, though, is that it is never enough.
As a fellow perfectionist, I have found myself faced with these five scenarios time and time again:
1. You can obsess over a problem for hours, days, sometimes even weeks.
Something as simple as sending an email a day late is something enough to keep you up into the wee hours of the night. You obsess over every fault in your day-to-day routine, tormenting yourself for not being able to avoid this need to be perfect.
2. "Good enough" is not in your vocabulary.
If it is not perfect, down to the very last detail, then you want nothing to do with it. The idea of doing something so that it is mediocre at best makes your skin crawl.
3. No Results, No Satisfaction.
As a perfectionist, sometimes this means you are seriously lacking in the patience department. You crave instant feedback and the ability to see the results of your labor. Success is an all or nothing mentality. Until you are able to see things unfold and relish for a few seconds in your ability to see your perfectionist tendencies come to light, you are not satisfied.
4. Procrastination is a lifestyle.
Procrastination is a very common element of your daily routine due to the fact that you struggle just jump into any project. You sit and critically think of every step in order for you to achieve and go above and beyond so that everything is just right, even if it means you won't get any sleep in the process.
5. It has to be "just right."
Everything, and I mean everything, has its specific place in your own little world. You find yourself obsessing over the smallest details in your life, like having your kitchen tidy, or your shoes put away in a particular way. These tendencies manifest into obsessions, making it so you can't move forward in your daily life without ensuring all of these elements in your life are in fact, "just right."
